Alizarin stars
by eskimobee
Summary: A serial killer leaves star-shaped items behind with his victims. what happens if one victim survives?
1. Chapter 1

Alizarin Boomerang

They had been called out to the desert. Lisbon, Rigsby and Van Pelt surveyed the burned wreck in front of them. Meanwhile Patrick was crouching in the brush a few feet away from the edge of the scorched earth. There were some local cops interviewing a guy who looked slightly intoxicated and was probably hung over. His own car was sitting by the roadside almost in a ditch. He had woken up in it and seen the burnt out car and called the cops who called the CBI after a body had been found in it.

"So why we here, again?"

"Local PD arrived on scene two hours ago. We're in between state lines so no man's land. Jurisdiction belongs to the bureau out here."

"Lisbon!" shouted Jane

"What?!" she yelled back with impatience and frustration reserved only for Patrick Jane and walked over as he stood holding a half burnt piece of red and green plastic. "What's that?"

"Calling card." He grinned

"It's a piece of garbage."

"No, it's a calling card. See?" he turned it over.

"What is it?"

"Calling card. Notice that it has been burnt carefully into this shape. Almost sculptured."

"Doesn't look like much to me. It's just a piece of melted plastic."

"It's shaped like a star. Coincidence?"

"Yes, they do happen, Jane. It's not a calling card."

"Hang on. Rigsby!"

"Yeah" the bear-like arson expert jogged over.

"Jane thinks this is a calling card. I keep telling him it's just a lump of-"

"It does look awfully star-shaped, boss. It looks like it's been slow-burned. Like with a lighter instead of a car burning."

"Ok." She sighed resignedly "How many stars does that make now?"

"Seven"

**CBI Headquarters, Sacramento**

"Ok. So far there are no connections between the vics, let's see. Do we have an id on this one yet?" said Lisbon

"Yeah, vic's name is a Victor Taub, building contractor from Napa, doing some work in Stockton." Rigsby supplied

"Maybe this could provide us with the link we've been looking for all along."

"How do you mean?"

"Connie Salisbury was an interior designer. Two months before she died, she did some work on some developments, Taub's company had developed."

"Ehh, that sounds like a coincidence. Neither of them have a connection to the others." Mused Patrick from the couch

"Oh, and what do you suggest? That this is all a random killing spree."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"No. There's gotta be a connection."

"Boss. Take a look at this." Said Cho suddenly

"Marina Herrera a Hispanic woman was found squatting in one of the apartments last week. Her father is Marcel José Herrera."

"The 3rd vic."

"So you're saying Victor Taub's our connection?"

"Could be."

"What about the others?"

"Still no connections."

"So we're back at square one. Great. Let's find something _before_ we go to Hightower."

"What school did Daniel Stevenson attend again?"

"Cordova"

"Kari Marcela's mother had pictures of her dressed in their cheerleading outfit."

"Our first vic, Lawrence Aver did some maintenance work there a couple years back."

"Amy Walden tutored kids mainly from there."

"Why didn't we notice this before?"

"We dismissed it as neither Herrera nor Salisbury had any connections."

"Neither does Taub. Or maybe we're not digging dee enough."

"Boss there's been another 'star'. This one's alive."

**Sacramento Children's Hospital** (AN: I don't know any hospitals in Sacramento so I just made it up)

"7 year old Allysha Anderson. She was found 2 days ago by hikers in the forest beside the river."

"How'd it take so long to call us?"

"We picked up the callout for a star left with any dead bodies. We didn't notice this until about an hour ago when one of the nurses was moving her coat off a chair and it fell out of a pocket." He held up a star of David pendant in a sealed bag. It was covered in blood smears.

"What makes you think this is another 'star' case?"

"The victim isn't Jewish. Her parents had never seen it before."

"It's a 'star', Lisbon. Now. Doctor, can we speak with the young girl, please?"

"I'm afraid she was brought in here unconscious and has remained so ever since."

**############**

**AN: just so you know...**

Victims

Lawrence Aver

Kari Marcela

M. José Herrera

Amy Walden

Connie Salisbury

Daniel Stevenson

Victor Taub

Allysha Anderson


	2. Chapter 2

Discalimer: i don't own it and yes, I am aware I spelt disclaimer wrong it was totally intentional I am THAT bored

AN: So will the CBI get their perp this chapter? There's only one way to find out..... take a read at this one

############

They waited in the little girl's hospital room. Her parents were individually questioned so that at least one of them could be in the hospital room at any one time. Mrs Anderson was currently being interviewed and Mr Anderson had gone for some fresh air. Patrick stood by the door staring into space, while Lisbon read messages on her cell.

"I'm right about it by the way."

"What?" she looked up

"I'm right. This is an attention seeking little s.o.b. wanting recognition."

"If that's so then why have we no name to the criminal?"

"Because he's trying to build up a little reign of terror before he reveals himself. Creating a legend by doing this."

"Who are you describing? The 'stars' killer, Red John or-"

"Or what?"

"Nothing, it doesn't matter."

"No, no tell me."

"It's not important"

"Come on. Who were you going to say?"

She sighed "Yourself."

"I guess a bit of a mixture of all the above. It applies to all three. The only difference is that I haven't killed anyone. I haven't taken a single life."

"And that makes you better than them?"

"Yes. It means I retain a shred of humanity, while those bastards throw it all away."

"Excuse me, agents, I think you should leave. My daughter needs to rest."

"Excuse me, Agent Lisbon?"

"Yes."

"My name is Doctor Hope, I'm Allysha's neurologist."

"Oh, how is she doing?"

"Not too well but we'll know better after her test results come back."

"Ok. What did you want to talk to me about."

"I need to tell you that this is not the first time Allysha has been in the hospital with neurological problems. Her medical history is dark and very long for all the seven years she has been on this planet. She is very young and has had a lot of problems. I still have results from a neurological scan pending but my preliminary thoughts are that she may not wake up."

"So we may have another victim on our hands it's just a question of whether or not it's murder. Thank you doctor."

"I also need to inform you that her organs are starting to strain and one of her kidneys has already had to be removed due to sepsis. She may not make it through the night."

Lisbon and Jane sat in the waiting room of the hospital. Patrick was beginning to get bored and fidgety and it was irritating Lisbon.

"Let's play a game."

"No"

"Not even a little one?"

"No"

"I spy?"

"No!

"Agent Lisbon, Mr Jane, can I have a word about your victim please."

"Sure. Has she woken up?"

"I'm afraid to say that Allysha Anderson died about ten minutes ago from multiple organ failure."

"So we've got eight dead vics in California alone all with a star on them no apparent major connections, different times of death, different manners of death."

"So basically we're nowhere. Any other information on this latest case?"

"No. In Boston there was a similar series of attacks a few years back."

"Ok, I'll call Boston's major crimes division and see what I can get from them."

############

END OF CHAPTER 3


	3. Chapter 3

The team sat there in the squad room trying to find a link between the victims that would lead to the perp. Lisbon was in her office on hold with the director of the Major Crimes unit in Boston. Patrick strolled in and lay down on her couch.

"What do you want?"

"Can't I come into your office for a nice chat and to offer you some tea?" She raised an eyebrow a him he shrugged and nonchalantly grunted "Ehh, it got boring out there so I decided to come in here."

"Searching for a connection is boring for you? Finding a killer, a murderer, a serial murderer is boring?"

"It's not that it's just-"

"What? Just not the right killer? Is it?"

"That's not what I meant"

"Yeah it is. Just because it isn't Red John doesn't make it any less important."

"I'm not saying it-"

"I am tired of you being blinded by your stupid hate and revenge. Is this a game to you? Do you think that catching other criminals, other serial killers is a game? A joke? Because I don't see anyone laughing. Do you?"

"Lisbon I never consider this a game. I am deadly serious about this job. I'm trying to get through the months, weeks, days, minutes the only way I know how. The only way I can. I may not always show it but I am serious."

Outside, Cho put down his phone and entered Lisbon's office.

"Boss, we got another call out double homicide and possibly a triple kidnapping."

The crime scene was a simple suburban 3 bedroom home. Nathan and Francesca Talbert lay on the floor in a pool of blood. Nathan had a bullet hole through his forehead and his wife's throat had been cut. There was no sign of any of the Talbert's three children, Stacie, Conor and Kenzi.

A calendar lay on the floor of Stacie's room, a field trip to New York written in for the previous day, presumably carried forward to the weekend as an arrow indicated. There were photographs on her wall and around her mirror, several of her with friends. There was a prom photo of her with her boyfriend taped to the mirror. Stacie had to be around 17-18 in the picture. Her driver's licence lay under a notebook. It indicated that today was her 19th birthday. There were cards littering the desk.

In Conor's room, there was the typical ten year old boy's mess, clothes scattered around and a football sat on the unmade bed. The curtains were half closed and sunlight was coming through the blinds. On the back of the door was a poster and various photographs taped and stuck with blue tack. There was no sign of where he could be, unlike with his sister.

Kenzi's room was small and tidy. There were a few teddy bears strewn about the floor. The walls had teddy bears and butterflies stamped on them. On Kenzi's cot there were stickers of teddy bears, butterflies, flowers and other girly pictures.

Out in the hallway, there were several pictures on the walls. It started to affect Grace as she walked through the house. She got to the bathroom and saw Conor lying on the floor. There was no one in the room, presumably he hadn't been found. She called out to Wayne, who was talking to a crime scene tech. He came over and he saw the boy lying there.

"He's so young."

"Wonder if he saw his parents go down before he was killed too."

"I hope not. For a kid his age to witness that then to die is horrible."

"Yeah. I'll go get the coroner. Tell him we got another body."

He walked away towards the stairs. Suddenly, there was a coughing noise coming from the small form laid out on the tiles.

"Wayne! Forget the coroner, get a doctor. This kid's alive."

#####################


	4. Chapter 4

You are probably wondering why this is here read on and find out

#####

"Conor, how are you feeling?"

"My head hurts a little but I'll be ok."

"Good boy. Conor, can you tell me what happened to your parents?"

"They were fighting again. Dad was yelling at mom cos Stacie was in New York and he was just home from his trip. He kept saying that we had no money. Mom yelled at dad saying that Stacie had saved up from work and they did fundraisers and sold cupcakes and stuff. Dad yelled back but I was playing my xbox with my headphones so I didn't hear what was said. I got hungry and there wasn't any more yelling so I went downstairs and the doorbell rang." He suddenly went quiet.

"Ok Conor, did you see who was at the door?"

He hesitated then shook his head. You didn't need to be Patrick to know he was lying. Teresa looked at Patrick and he nodded. Yep, definitely lying.

"Conor, are you sure? Did you hear them? You're safe now, nobody can hurt you."

"If I tell you will they get in trouble?"

"If they hurt your mom and dad then they'll get in trouble, yeah." Said Patrick in a low, calm tone. "But you know what? They hurt some more people and they could hurt lots more if we don't stop them and you can help us. So come on, who was at the door?"

"Uncle Lenny"

"Ok did you see what he did?"

"Yeah. He took Kenzi and left."

"Ok. I thought he was the one who hurt your parents"

"He was. He took Kenzi away. Then he came back for me. But mommy said 'you already took away my baby you can't have him as well' then he said 'I'll take what I want I own you' then dad came out and said 'get away from her' and there was a loud bang and another noise I didn't like. Mom screamed and I ran up to the bathroom and locked the door to keep him out. I think I blacked out cos then I woke up and it hurt everywhere like every time and then I was here."

"Ok. We're gonna go now so you can sleep for a while. You did real good, thank you, Conor."

CBI headquarters, Sacramento

Lisbon was on the phone to the county sheriff "We got an Amber alert out on Kenzi and we got as many people searching for Lenny Talbert as we could get to, including all airports and shipping docks. Word spreads fast round these parts, Agent Lisbon you got a missin' kid she'll be found."

"Thank you, Sheriff"

"No problem, ma'am"

She walked out of her office and addressed the team.

"Ok, we got everyone in this county looking for Kenzi Talbert. Her sister has been informed of the situation and is flying back as we speak. Conor told us his uncle is our guy so we gotta find him and if we find one, we'll find the other. Patrick thinks she's still alive and won't be too far from her uncle. You are looking for this ten month old girl" she held up a picture "Let's get to work."

Three days later

"Kenzi Talbert, a missing ten month old baby girl, was found just across state line--"

"Hey I was watchin' that."

"You sit on your ass all day and watch it get out for some fresh air now."

"But they had info on that missin' kid from down the block."

"I don't care. Go outside, Charlene."

"Fine." The doorbell rang at that moment. "It's a sign"

"Charlene" said her mother in a warning voice

"Hey, mom, it's Eddy"

"Invite him in."

"I'm goin over to Chelsea's" she walked out without an answer. Charlene got to the gate when she heard two bangs and a thud. She proceeded to call 911 "O God, oh my God, crap. Come on pick up, pick up. Hello, I need an ambulance and the cops. I just heard someone shoot a gun in my house as I was leaving."

"This guy Edgar matches the description of your suspect. In everything but name."

"Ok, Eddy is just a ruse. So is Lenny. My real name is Victor Taub. My company was losing money so I faked my own death to get life insurance. Then the others swiftly followed. A little surgery here and there and I thought I had pulled it off. Then you guys come knockin'. I knew I couldn't carry on but I needed one more. Just one. That's why I killed Stella. Charlene would have been collateral damage if she had stayed but no matter. I got what I wanted."

"And what was that?"

"Revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge."

"Do you feel better?"

"Much"

"So how was this case of any relevance to the stars?"

"Well, I wasn't too sure when we were called to investigate but then I found this on Conor's back." The doctor held up a picture of a tattoo of a star with some scarring round it."

"It could be a gang hit or some cult branding."

"On a ten year old, Agent Lisbon? From an average family? In California?"

"I guess the star is the most likely thing, but we can't rule anything else out. Thank you, doctor."

"Ok. Have someone page me if you need anymore updates."

CBI Headquarters, Sacramento, California

"Ok, so the doctor, crime scene team and Patrick all think this kid is another 'star'. Remember that it's the most likely case and he is our only live vic. His parents are dead, so if you are interviewing either him or his sister so be sensitive when speaking with them they've been through enough already without us coming in and disrupting their lives all over again."

"Boss, look at this." said Grace, when Teresa had finished "The Talberts were visiting New York the time of the first two 'star' murders there and get this they reported someone for stalking them the entire time they were there."

"Interesting, we got a photo?"

"Sure do."

#####

AN: ooooo looks like I'm gonna have to end it there kids!

check back after 27/05/10 (or 05/27/10 if you're american lol)


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer Nope, ain't mine. Never was and (probably) never will be.

AN: Hey sorry I had exams but they're over now so I can write you some lovely stories again Enjoy!

So here's where we left off...

"Vic's name is a Victor Taub, building contractor from Napa"

"So you're saying Victor Taub's our connection?"

...

"Ok Conor, did you see who was at the door?"

"Uncle Lenny…. He took Kenzi and left."

...

"This guy Edgar matches the description of your suspect. In everything but name."

"Ok, Eddy is just a ruse. So is Lenny. My real name is Victor Taub."

...

"So how was this case of any relevance to the stars?"

"Well, I wasn't too sure when we were called to investigate but then I found this on Conor's back." The doctor held up a picture of a tattoo of a star with some scarring round it.

...

"The Talberts were visiting New York the time of the first two 'star' murders there and get this they reported someone for stalking them the entire time they were there."

"Interesting, we got a photo?"

"Sure do."

Interview room 2, CBI Headquarters, Sacremento, California

"You couldn't be Victor Taub. We have the real Victor Taub in the morgue. So who are you? Who are you really?"

"I told you. I'll bet your id was assumed from his charred remains and my id badge conveniently not too badly burnt. No dental records, no DNA so you have nothing to tell you who he really is. Except me."

"I don't think you're gonna just roll over and give us it now are you?"

"Naturally, I want something in return."

"What?"

"Patrick Jane, alone, and his head on a silver platter."

"Not gonna happen. Who is he?"

"He is one of Mr Jane's favourites."

Patrick walked in and scathingly said "It isn't Red John because he's smart enough to stay alive smarter than you"

"It's a pleasure to meet you Patrick. I've waited a long time for this."

"Lisbon you can go I need a moment alone with him.

"No, if he has information on Red John-"

"Go"

She left, closing the door quietly behind her and went to the other side of the one-way glass.

"I like it. A man who asserts his authority to protect the fair maiden from the big, bad... Wolf."

"Don't insult me like that."

So you aren't protecting her."

"No, she's a big girl she can look after herself."

"Oooh I hope that attitude wasn't what got your wife and little girl killed."

"Shut up"

"Oooh looks like I touched a nerve. She's beautiful when she sleeps, by the way."

"What?"

"Your agent Lisbon. Little bit of a snorer, but not much. Quite like little Kenzi."

"Where is Kenzi?"

"Aww, now that would be telling."

"I can keep secrets."

"I almost stopped him, you know"

"Stopped who?"

"_Him, _Red John as you INSIST on calling him."

"What do you call him?"

"Brother, Teacher, Father, pick what you like he is all those things and more and I feel honoured to know him."

"So what did you nearly stop him doing?"

"Killing her. Your wife was necessary but the child needn't have died. I told him before he did that the mother was the only one we needed that a child would live as a constant reminder to what you have lost. 'But I'm sure', he said, 'that my face will remain on the wall for him. It is reminder enough. He needs to feel alone, cut off from the world.' I let him get on with it. Never disturb an artist at work, it's rude." Patrick just stood and watched him intently "Come on, Mr Jane. I'll bet anything that you're still in that house with the face therein your wife's blood you haven't cleaned have you? It is just preserved there."

Patrick knelt down beside him and muttered "You have no right to talk to me about that night. None. I hope you rot in jail." He straightened up and said "So who is our lovely charred gentleman in the cold store?"

"Tommy Cooper. Harry Houdini. Charlie Chaplain. They're all dead aren't they? All performers like my dear friend Barry Sykes."

"Barry Sykes? The stage magician, who went missing two years ago?"

"Yeah he came underground but then he collapsed a few weeks back and I took my chance. I'm not sure if he died before or after I lit the fire in the desert and o course you saw my lovely star. They're all stars. Similar dreams of greatness but I made them all great. Each of their last performances were fantastic. Completely unique but somehow the same."

"Your last performance will be you walking into a jail cell and you know what, we'll throw away the key"

The door opened "You have nothing of value to us so you're going now. Stand up. You have the right to remain silent."...

Patrick and Teresa sat in a small coffee shop the next morning, before work. PPatrick was unusually quiet.

"We'll get him. He's out there somewhere and at some point, he's gonna make a mistake and we'll get him."

"But we won't he won't make mistakes, he never does. Red John never makes mistakes."

"He's human, he'll slip up somehow."

"Will that be before or after he kills you."

"You think I'm next? Why?"

He looked at her "Teresa, I-"

"What? You believed Taub? Come on the guy's just a leech for attention."

"You need a protection detail on you."

"I thought you said I was a big girl and I could look after myself. Besides, I have training for this kinda thing and I'm armed. I have my off-duty weapon where only I can get to it. So stop worrying."

"He's been in your house."

"Jealous?"

"NO! Th-this is nothing to joke about. Taub was right. M-my belief that I could d-do what I liked and my wife a-and child were f-fine was what got them killed. I just don't want to m-make the same mistakes again."

"Are you crying?"

"N-no"

"Yes you are. Hey come on let's go somewhere quiet to talk about it. But only if you want to."

"Nahh, let's go to work."

"You sure you don't need time to cool off first?"

"Yep. Look I'm totally fine." He grinned, the tears still glistening on his cheeks.

"No, you're not. It's not just you who can tell when people are hiding from what they really feel."

"You've been paying attention."

"I have. Come on, I have an idea."

"What?"

"That would be telling. It's a surprise. Get in the car. I'm driving."

"Ok"

"Here put this on" she handed him a blindfold "No peeking. I'll be back in five minutes."

She came back and put something on the back seat. It smelt like... Flowers? Patrick wondered. They drove for about twenty minutes before stopping. Teresa walked round and helped Patrick out of the car She picked up the flower scented object from her back seat and spun him round several times and guided him walking for a further ten minutes and they stopped again. She spun him again and guided him uphill. Then she stopped him and handed him the package. Definitely flowers. She stood behind him and removed his blindfold. "I saw what day it was." He fell to the ground and clutched the flowers, barely suppressing the tears he'd been fighting for so long.

"I-I can't d-do this."

"Yes you can" she got down with him and rubbed his back "It's ok. I'm here."

He nodded and pulled a small box out of his pocket. He put it on the ground.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart. Daddy loves you very much. Wanna see what I got you?" He opened the box and took out a blue sapphire bracelet "It's beautiful, isn't it. I got your Mom something too. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver heart locket with diamonds. "It has a picture of her holding you just after you where born." He laid them on the ground and arranged the flowers on the graves.

"They're beautiful." She whispered which caused Patrick to let go of everything and cry. They sat there and she held him as he sobbed. "You're only human too." He continued to cry and held on to Teresa and whispered something over and over she couldn't quite hear. He spoke a little louder and broke away from her.

"It's all my fault"

"No it isn't"

"Yes it is. If I'd stayed home, or had her with me, or gone home early instead of indulging in those stupid showbiz fancies. Those stupid parties, mixers. They'd be alive or we'd all be here together. As a family."

"But you didn't get home early. You didn't bring her with you. You didn't stay at home. What happened, happened and it's made you the man you are today. He can't take that from you. No-one can."

"Sometimes you irk me. But now I-" he swallowed and breathed deeply "I'm glad you took me. I'm not sure if I could have done it alone."

"That's what I'm here for." She pulled him into a hug and his eyes became like fountains again, the sobs racked his already sore body. He wrapped his arms around his middle and gasped for air between his tears.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Do I need to bother?

AN: Mais oui, c'est le chaptere six. And I do believe that is the limit of my French for this chapter I ended the last chapter differently to how I originally planned. I think it worked out for the better. Some nice wee tyings up now and as always... Enjoy!

########

Kenzi Talbert sat in a small, dark room waiting for her uncle to return with her mother. She heard a sound and saw the door open and a shadowy figure step in.

"Mama?"

"No Kenzi, I'm not mama." Said a strange man's voice. Kenzi didn't know the man. She was scared and began to cry. "It's ok Kenzi, I'm here to take you to Stacie and Conor."

"Con-con?"

"Yeah, he's outside. Now, Con-con isn't feeling well so don't be scared by the things round him, they're just making him better ok?"

"CON-CON WASEE CON-CON!"

"I know" he lifted her and carried her out of the house into the bright sunlight, over to her siblings.

"Thank you so much, Mr Jane. Thank you for finding my baby sister."

"Please, Stacie, call me Patrick."

"The doctors say they can remove the star from Conor's back and use skin grafts to heal the skin."

"That's good, Will you be ok?"

"Yeah, were going to go live with our aunt in Nebraska. So if you're in the area come look us up." She smiled

"I'll make sure to. Bye, Kenzi"

"Baba!"

"Again, thank you. You saved her, and I'm so happy she's ok." She looked at her sister in her arms and said "Come on Kenzi, let's go get you some birthday ice cream."

That one hit Patrick in the gut. He wasn't taking his daughter for birthday ice cream. He knew what Red John had meant when he said he wanted him to be cut off from the world or so Taub had said.

"Hey" Teresa touched his shoulder and he turned to look at her. "What now? Back to the office or... a detour."

"Ice cream."

"Ice cream?"

"Ice cream."

"Ok, ice cream it is then."

"Chocolate ice cream covered in raspberries. A special treat for her."

She looked at him. "This is the first time you've really opened up to me."

"Give me a break, it's her birthday today. It's all about give and take. You don't have to say much you're an open book, I figured it was my turn to give rather than take."

She let him slide on the open book remark "It's just not like you."

"How do you know? I put on a mask every day, of course I do, like you said earlier, I'm only human. It's what we do. I'm taking it off and setting it aside for today. For my daughter's birthday."

CBI Headquarters, Sacramento, California

"Patrick, there's a package here for you.

Mr Patrick Jane, Consultant  
California Bureau of Investigation  
Sacramento  
California  
United States of America"

"What's the return address?"

"Dr Sophie Miller- it's from your friend Sophie."

"Thanks, Rigsby"

He took the package and opened it. There was a black box inside, with a letter attached.

"_Patrick,_

_I realise what today is, so it may be bad timing for me to give this to you but I feel that it is necessary to give it to you today. I hope you realise it's significance and I hope to see you again soon._

_Sophie  
X _

_P.S.I included a few extra things in a lower compartment which may help explain them but you're a smart cookie and can work it out without them but they're there in any case."_

He opened the box and saw a small blue trinket box with little jewels decorating it. Teresa walked in and stopped as she saw him open the trinket box, and pull out a ring on a fine silver chain.

"It's the ring I was going to give her when she turned 18. Legally an adult, but still my baby girl. The box was a gift I gave to Sophie a few years after we met. It was to thank her for her help. She broke it by accident. I offered to get her a new one but she said she wanted this one, because it was broken, like me."

"It doesn't look broken."

"It's not. She must have had it fixed."

"Or she got a new one."

"From where? My head? I made it while I was- I was her patient. I made several and I also made this." He pulled out a long, thin, red box from the black box out of the lower compartment. He gave it to her and she opened it. Inside, lay a short, thin, ruby encrusted dagger.

"Is this for Red John?"

"Yeah. Originally at least... when I realised I wasn't going anywhere, I gave these to Sophie and told her to put the ring in the blue box and the dagger in the red one. Obviously she did. When I was no longer- her patient she wanted to return them to me but I told her they were a gift so she should keep them. She did. I visited her a few months later and I saw them on her desk and I told her I could fix the box and she said, 'not until I fix you'." He smiled "It's not totally repaired though. See these tiny cracks?"

"Yeah, barely."

"She's telling me that I'm fixed but there are still tiny cracks that will stay there no matter how much glue is used to put it back together. You can always see the cracks."

"You're not alone."

"What?"

"You are not alone. Red John said he wants to make you feel alone at cut off from the world. He's wrong. You have me. You have Wayne. Grace. Cho. Sophie. You are far from alone."

"Thanks"

"I mean it" She hugged him then kissed his forehead. "You are far from alone." He looked back at her and they sat there, faces inches from each other, the air suddenly heavy. Teresa's cell sounded, and the spell broke. She answered it "Yeah, Lisbon... That's great... Thanks...Ok, I'll see you there... Bye." She turned to see Patrick, and Sophie's gifts were gone. She sat on the edge of the desk and sighed.

Patrick ran down the steps and walked swiftly through the door to his car. He put Sophie's boxes on the back seat and lifted a flattish, velvet purple, square box. He locked his car again and walked towards Lisbon's car.

He saw her leave and notice his car still in the lot. She walked over to her own and jumped when she saw him sitting on the kerb. He stood up and wordlessly handed her the box. Confused, she opened it and saw a beautiful silver necklace with a small diamond pendant. He lifted it and turned her round, still without a word and put it on her. She turned to look at him and felt her mouth had suddenly become very dry and she couldn't speak. She swallowed and tried to speak again but had no idea what to say so closed her mouth again. He brushed a stray hair from her eyes and his fingers ran along her jaw line. He cupped her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb. He reached with his other hand and took hers. Time seemed to slow to a crawl and they were the only two in the entire universe. Their faces were barely touching now and Teresa hoped there wouldn't be any more interruptions. Their foreheads touched and Patrick whispered "Thank you" and kissed her gently. On that contact, Teresa's heart beat faster and faster until she felt it would explode out of her chest. She felt her ears burn and she felt light headed. This was the first time she felt like this and it was at that second, when he pulled away, that she realised she was in love with him.

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AN: It took me ages to write that last paragraph, probably the longest and most difficult out of the entire story.

I wasn't sure how to end it but this is how it turned out.

I thought the story was pretty fast paced so I decided to slow it way down for that moment at the very end.

That is all for this story please check out my others unless you already have.

I'm off for summer now that doesn't necessarily mean more stories but it does increase the chances of there being them without the distraction of school.

That's all from me see ya soon

daydreamerkid xx


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